Department for Education

Higher Education Update

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.Today I want to update both Houses on policy developments for reform within the university admissions system.On Friday 13 November, I announced the Department’s intention to explore a Post Qualification Admissions (PQA) system for higher education, where students would receive and accept offers after they have received their Level 3 (A-Level or equivalent) grades.The government’s manifesto committed us to “improve the application and offer system” and in a way that is "underpinned by a commitment to fairness, quality of learning and teaching, and access". Evidence shows that the current admissions system falls short of this commitment, which is why we are now exploring how a new system could work. We want to ensure the system works for disadvantaged students and facilitates the levelling up that we all want to see, so that everyone with the qualifications and ability to benefit from higher education can do so, no matter what their background.If we were starting from scratch today, no one would design the higher education admissions system we have now – a system which, with its reliance on predicted grades, systematically favours the most advantaged. Whilst the higher education provider base has expanded significantly in recent decades, with the emergence of new providers and courses, the admissions system has remained largely unchanged since the 1960s. The current system lacks transparency, and it works against the interests of some students, notably high achieving disadvantaged students. In recent years we have also seen the emergence of undesirable admissions practices, such as the mass use of unconditional offers.We know, due to the pandemic, that students have experienced considerable disruption to their education this year. We believe that the unique set of circumstances students faced could have been better dealt with by a fairer higher education admissions system.A broad range of interested parties across the education system, and from across the political spectrum – including the Sutton Trust, Policy Exchange, and the University and College Union – have been calling for a Post Qualification Admissions system to support social mobility and to remove the complexity and undesirable practices of the current system. According to a recent poll by the Sutton Trust, two-thirds of this year’s university entrants (66%) are in favour of removing predicted grades from university admissions and making decisions based on actual results. Universities UK has also confirmed its desire to work with government to explore moving to such a system.The government will therefore consult universities, colleges, schools, students, and other interested parties to develop a potential model of reform over the coming months. We will work across the sectors to design a more efficient and transparent system that helps all students, especially those who are disadvantaged, access the course and institution that best suits their aspirations and capabilities. This is a set of reforms we would look to deliver during the course of this parliament, but it will not affect students over the current academic year.

Higher Education Update

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Universities (Michelle Donelan) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. As a Government we have made a commitment to ensure students living at university will be able to go home at the end of term, if they choose to do so. Today, I am announcing the measures that we are putting in place to enable students to return home as safely as possible. The national restrictions are set in law to finish on 2 December and the government is committed to this date. In order to ensure that students can return home at the end of the autumn term but also reduce any transmission risk, the Government is asking that students return home once the national restrictions have been lifted, in a “student travel window” lasting from 3-9 December. This excludes students who have tested positive or been notified by the NHS test and trace system. Universities should stagger departure dates across faculties and with other institutions in the region to manage pressure on transport infrastructure. In order to ensure that students can travel home during this window, higher education providers should cease in-person teaching no later than 9 December. Moving online learning by 9 December will allow students to start to return home, and any students who have tested positive to complete their period of self-isolation and return home before Christmas. As the Prime Minister announced this week, we are also working closely with universities to roll out mass testing for students. We have made huge strides in our testing capability in recent weeks, and we will offer this to as many students as possible before they travel home, targeting this in areas of high prevalence. This will help to provide further confidence that students can leave safely if they test negative. If a student tests positive or they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace before their departure, they will need to remain in self-isolation, following the relevant guidance. Moving all learning online by 9 December allows enough time for students to complete this isolation period, where required, before returning home for Christmas. Under the current national restrictions students will have completed a 4-week period of national restriction by 2 December, limiting the risk of them contracting and transmitting Coronavirus (COVID-19). As this is a key measure to reduce the risk of transmission to their families and friends at home, it is very important that students comply with the measures for the duration of the period of national restrictions and manage social interactions safely between 3 December and the point of travel. I ask students to work with us to keep themselves and their families safe, while allowing them to return home at the end of term if they choose to do so.We are working with the devolved administrations to ensure that all students, no matter where they live or study, are treated fairly and can travel home as safely as possible to keep all our communities safe. English students at universities in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland should follow the guidance relevant to where they are living before returning home. When they return to England, they should follow their local guidance for their home area. Students returning to their home in England who have not completed the 4 weeks of national restrictions should undertake at least 14 days of restricted contact either before or after return home to minimise their risk of transmission. We know that not all students will be able to go home, or may choose not to do so. It is vital that support continues for those who choose to stay at university over Christmas, including our international students, care leavers and those who may be estranged from their families. We have asked universities to ensure they have plans for those students who remain on campus and this includes ensuring that support continues over winter break. Finally, I want to assure parents, students and staff that their welfare is our priority. The hard work of university staff has meant we are able to keep students and staff as safe as possible during term, and I am very grateful for their efforts to deliver an appropriate balance of online and in-person teaching, as agreed with public health teams. We are pleased we can now announce how students can travel home at the end of term, while keeping themselves, their families, and their communities, as safe as possible.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Falkland Islands Demining

Baroness Sugg: My hon. Friend the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas (Wendy Morton MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.On the 14 November the Falkland Islands were declared mine-free under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (the Ottawa Convention); a major step forward for the Islanders as they look forward to a peaceful future. This project has taken more than 38 years after several thousand land mines were laid during the Falklands Conflict. The Government pays tribute to the members of the British Armed Forces who contributed to mapping, fencing and clearing of the mine fields between 1982 and 2009, as well as the civilian de-miners who between 2009 and 2020 have destroyed over 10,000 mines and other unexploded ordnance in a project funded by the United Kingdom Government. The project has released 23 million square meters of land, allowing public access to large areas of ground which had been out of bounds for almost four decades, including beauty spots close to Stanley. This means that the people of the Falkland Islands will no longer have to teach their children about the dangers of minefields.In 1997 the United Kingdom, alongside 121 other nations, signed the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and commits signatories to removing such mines from territories over which they have jurisdiction or control. The completion of the demining project in the Falkland Islands marks the United Kingdom’s fulfilment of its legal obligation under this Convention. Finishing three years ahead of the deadline of 31 March 2024, this achievement underlines the United Kingdom’s commitment to and leadership of global humanitarian mine action.

Treasury

Treasury announcement on levelling up the economy

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My right honourable friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.On 16 November, the government launched the bidding process for the allocation of Freeports in England by publishing a bidding prospectus. The bidding period will close on 5 February 2021.Leaving the EU creates new opportunities for the UK to strengthen the Union and become a hub for international trade and investment. Revitalising our port regions through an ambitious Freeport policy is a key component of realising this vision and unlocking the deep potential of all nations and regions of the UK.The creation of Freeports will be a cornerstone of the government’s plan to level up opportunity across the country. Freeports will increase trade, create employment and attract investment in order to form innovative business clusters that benefit local areas. This in turn will help rejuvenate left-behind communities across the UK, by attracting new businesses, spreading jobs, investment and opportunity.The bidding prospectus sets out how ports, businesses, local government and other local partners can come together to bid for Freeport status.At the centre of our new Freeports policy is an ambitious new customs model which will improve upon both the UK’s existing customs facilitations and the Freeports the UK previously had. Our Freeports model also introduces a package of tax incentives for businesses to invest in Freeports, and seed funding to develop key infrastructure to help level up some of our most deprived communities. We are introducing new measures to speed up planning processes to accelerate development in and around Freeports and new initiatives to encourage innovators to test new ideas to drive additional economic growth and create jobs.Freeports will be selected according to a fair, transparent and competitive bidding process, and will be expected to collaborate closely with key partners across the public and private sectors.We want all the nations of the UK to share in the benefits of Freeports. As such, we are working constructively and collaboratively with the devolved administrations to seek to establish at least one Freeport in each nation of the UK as soon as possible.The “Freeports bidding prospectus” CP315 has been laid in Parliament. Copies are available in the Vote Office and Printed Paper Office, and also at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus

Tax policy update

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My right honourable friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jesse Norman) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.In line with the tax policy-making framework, the Government consulted on a number of tax policies announced at Spring Budget 2020. Today, the Government is publishing responses to some of the consultations that were extended due to COVID-19, alongside draft legislation which will need to be introduced. The Government is also publishing responses to calls for evidence in the market for tax advice, as well as a consultation on Making Tax Digital for Corporation Tax. Finally, the Government is making some tax policy announcements for Tobacco and Vehicle Excise duties, measures to tackle promoters of tax avoidance, a small change to off-payroll legislation, and delays to other measures and reviews. Previously announced publicationsThe Government is publishing summary of responses and draft legislation for each of the following measures, as announced at the Spring Budget:Plastic Packaging TaxTackling Construction Industry Scheme abuseR&D SME tax credit PAYE capTax implications of the withdrawal of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR)Hybrid and other mismatches The Government had extended the policy consultation response deadlines for these measures in April, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Draft legislation is accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN), an Explanatory Note (EN) and, where applicable, a summary of responses to consultation document. All publications can be found on the GOV.UK website. The Government’s tax consultation tracker has also been updated. Raising standards for tax adviceThe Government is publishing a Summary of Responses and Next Steps from the call for evidence on raising standards in the market for tax advice. As a first step towards raising standards, the Government will consult on requiring tax advisers to hold professional indemnity insurance and how to define tax advice. The majority of respondents supported government action to raise standards. Tackling promoters of tax avoidanceIn line with the Government’s strategy to tackle promoters of tax avoidance schemes, published in March, the Government is today announcing that it will consult in the new year on further measures to tackle promoters. These proposals will build on the proposals announced earlier this year and will: disrupt the business model of offshore promoters by making it harder for such promoters to access the UK by making their onshore partners equally responsible for the anti-avoidance regime penalties that the offshore promoter generates. directly tackle the secrecy on which promoters rely; the proposals here would ensure that taxpayers are fully informed of the reality of what is being sold to them. disrupt the economics of tax avoidance by ensuring that, without delay, promoters face financial consequences for continuing to promote tax avoidance so that promoters cannot continue to profit from avoidance while HMRC investigates them. give HMRC additional powers to act against companies that continue to promote schemes and who sidestep the rules designed to restrict their activities. The proposals would see such promoters shut down and restricted from setting up similar businesses. The Government continues to recognise that the many tax advisers who adhere to high professional standards are an important source of support for taxpayers. The proposals are aimed at targeting those promoters who exploit every opportunity to personally profit by side-stepping the rules and whose unscrupulous actions often leave taxpayers with significant tax bills.The Government continues to recognise that strengthening HMRC powers in the way described must be done in a carefully constrained way. HMRC will again work with stakeholders, and in particular those tax advisers who adhere to high professional standards, to ensure that these proposals are both effective and proportionate. Making Tax Digital for Corporation TaxThe Government is publishing a consultation on the design of Making Tax Digital for Corporation Tax, as announced on 21 July. This will allow stakeholders to inform the early stage design of Making Tax Digital for Corporation Tax and to provide businesses with time to prepare.  Further policy announcements:The Government has made a number of further policy decisions which are being announced today, relating to: Extending the Annual Investment Allowance provisional £1 million capThe Government is today announcing a yearlong extension to the temporary increase of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). The AIA provides firms 100% same year tax relief on qualifying capital expenditure, up to a fixed limit. Instead of allowing the AIA to revert to £200,000 from 1 January 2021, the Government is extending the temporary £1 million cap set at Budget 2018 until 31 December 2021. This announcement:Responds to the needs of business, giving enhanced tax relief on plant and machinery expenditure;Provides businesses with upfront support during continuing COVID-related uncertainty;Simplifies taxes for the 99% of businesses investing up to £1 million on plant and machinery assets each year. Tobacco Duty upratingThe Government is announcing the uprating of tobacco duties to protect the public finances, continue the drive to reduce smoking prevalence, and support the Government’s target for a smoke-free England by 2030. In line with the existing escalator, duty rates on all tobacco products will increase by RPI + 2%. In order to narrow the gap between hand-rolling tobacco (HRT) and cigarette duty rates and ensure the Minimum Excise Tax (MET) continues to be effective in the current market, HRT will increase by RPI + 6% and the MET by RPI + 4%. The Treasury is laying an Order before the House to enact these changes, which will take effect on 16 November. Van Vehicle Excise DutyThe Government will not now introduce a new graduated system of Vehicle Excise Duty for light goods vehicles or motorhomes from April 2021, to avoid distracting the automotive sector and businesses more widely from the challenges they currently face in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Motorhomes will continue to be placed in the Private/Light Goods class. Off-payroll working - technical change to ensure legislation operates as intendedA technical change to the off-payroll working rules will be made in the next Finance Bill. This will ensure the legislation operates as intended from 6 April 2021 for engagements where an intermediary is a company. The change will correct an unintended widening of the definition of an intermediary, which went beyond the intended scope of the policy. Notification of uncertain tax treatment by large businessesThe Government is announcing the implementation of the new requirement for large businesses to notify HMRC of uncertain tax treatments will be delayed until April 2022. This will allow more time to get the policy and legislation right following the recent consultation, including through further engagement with stakeholders, and will give affected businesses more time to prepare for the change. Timely Tax Payments and Review of Tax Administration FrameworkOn 21 July, the Government committed to publishing calls for evidence on Timely Tax Payments and a Review of the Tax Administration Framework. Given the continued pressures of the COVID-19 outbreak, and with other consultations in progress, the Government will now publish these documents in Spring 2021. Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) milk reviewIn 2017, the Government made a commitment to review the exemption for sugary milk and milk-substitute drinks from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) by 2020. The Government has been clear that if industry does not make enough progress on voluntarily reformulating these drinks, the Government may extend the SDIL to include them. In light of Public Health England’s latest reformulation report (published earlier this month) that shows good progress has been made in sugar reduction of milk-based drinks, the Government will next consider the exemption for sugary milk and milk-substitute drinks in 2022 after the full reformulation programme completes.

Action 19 of the Economic Crime Plan

Lord Agnew of Oulton: My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.As part of the Government’s July 2019 Economic Crime Plan[1], the Treasury undertook to consider the case for a Government power to block listings[2] on UK financial markets on the grounds of national security. This work has concluded and indicates that there are possible scenarios in which a proposed listing may potentially give rise to national security concerns. Therefore, alongside today’s introduction of the National Security and Investment (NS&I) Bill, the Government is announcing its intention to bring forward a precautionary power to block listings on national security grounds.In designing this power, the Government will take full account of the fact that companies from all over the world come to the UK, as a world-leading financial centre, in order to raise capital. They are attracted by the depth, breadth and openness of our markets as well as London’s reputation for clean and transparent markets. This power will reinforce that reputation and help us maintain London’s status as a world-class listings destination. The Treasury will publish a full consultation to inform the design of the power, which we expect to launch in early 2021. Further information will be set out in the consultation document. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economic-crime-plan-2019-to-2022/economic-crime-plan-2019-to-2022-accessible-version[2] When a company wants to raise capital, it can do this through ‘listing’ its securities on a public market, such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE).